Amazon has just announced the launch of Kuiper, its satellite internet offer, in France. Indeed, the subsidiary has set up its premises in Clichy (92). For now, it’s time for research and development. We should not expect the opening of services before 2023 minimum.
Satellite internet is seeing the arrival of a new heavyweight in France. Indeed, Amazon has just announced the opening of its first premises for the Kuiper project in France. Indeed, the service has just moved discreetly to Clichy towards the end of November 2021, almost two years after its main competitor, a certain Starlink.
We find at the head of Amazon Kuiper France Mr. Philippe Daly, known in particular for having been at the head of the development of Alexa, the giant’s personal assistant, in Europe. “We are only in the design and research and development phase at this point. But the objective is to provide coverage in gray areas such as exists in France ”, he said in an official statement.
Read also: Starlink is available in France against a stratospheric subscription
Kuiper, Amazon’s ambitious project
Since April 2019, Amazon has expressed its ambitions to become a major player in satellite internet. With Project Kuiper, the e-commerce giant counts send more than 3000 satellites into low orbit, the goal being to be able to cover 95% of the world’s population. “Project Kuiper is a new initiative to launch a constellation of satellites into low Earth orbit that will deliver low-latency, low-speed high-speed connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world ”, said Amazon during the presentation of the project.
Not surprisingly, Amazon has decided to spend lavishly to achieve its ambitions. In total, the American company has invested $ 10 billion. This huge sum will obviously be used for the creation of 3236 satellites that will make up this constellation, and to develop jobs and American infrastructures dedicated to the project. This envelope will also be used for “the acquisition, installation and operation of all establishments relating to the specified activities ”.
As said above, Kuiper is still in its infancy in France. For now, the launch of the satellites is not expected before the end of 2022, and indeed the start of the service is not expected before 2023 minimum. Regarding France, it will also be necessary that the platform obtains the approval of ARCEP, the telecoms policeman, to transmit on the Ka frequency band to the constellation from earth stations.
Source: Capital
